No Matter How Many Times You Post it: We don't care WHY he ran as a Dem. We are just GLAD he did!

[SheenaR]

I'm trying to help you. You know who you are.

We don't care. Not even a little bit.

We don't care if he ran as a Democrat in this Primary because he lost a bet.

We don't care if he ran as a Democrat in this Primary because it was easier to pronounce than independent.

We DON"T care.

He is running a campaign based on progressive issues in this Primary that we (who support him) care about and are passionate about. I don't care how he got here.

And you can keep trying to scare people away with SOCIALISM... ooohh... Spooky!

We DON'T care.

And we are not going to care or stop working for him until he tells us to. And names like Ellison, Gabbard, and Turner will lead the movement of the New Democratic Party into the future.

But keep trying.... Actually definitely keep trying. Because while some will post hit pieces, the rest of us are getting out the vote today.

[yourpaljoey]

1. exactly

[erlewyne]

81. Hand wringing going on in Hillary's party

A whole bunch of cross over voters going Republican here in OHIO.

We Bernie supporters are not worried.

Hillary's voters think they have it in the bag so they are crossing over,

Hillary is worried.

[Plucketeer]

91. Who would support Bernie

if he thought he could go for November as an independent? I sure would. Hell, the damned Dem party has tried to screw him at every turn!

[SusanaMontana41]

97. I'm voting for him either way. nt

[yourpaljoey]

122. And this is what worries me... I hear that all the time

Someone better jump into the fray and take the pulse of the people...
they want REAL change

[SusanaMontana41]

124. I'm not responsible for the DLC hijacking of my party; the Third Way is.

Why do you think young voters are flocking to Sanders? They see the hypocrisy and want no part of it. They're the ones who want real change, and they know HHS Clinton is too compromised to deliver it.

Can you name one policy position — JUST ONE — Clinton supported when supporting it wasn't cool?

I can name lots of Bernie's.

[yourpaljoey]

129. Fortunately I am not debating your point

You asked: "Can you name one policy position — JUST ONE — Clinton supported when supporting it wasn't cool?"
In response, I got... nothing.

[SusanaMontana41]

132. There ya go!

Never fails to stump Clintonistas.

[Art_from_Ark]

130. I'm not a young voter,

but I've seen the Democratic Party in better days, and to me Bernie exemplifies the best that the Party could offer, if it really wanted to.

[SusanaMontana41]

133. You and I are "young voters with experience."

I belong to the party of FDR. I just can't find it.

[yourpaljoey]

113. I hear that a lot. The DNC better wake up and smell the coffee.

[SusanaMontana41]

98. Independent candidates aren't invited to debates. Bernie didn't have a choice. nt

[retrowire]

2. Agreed.

I follow whoever is right on the issues.

The soul of the Democratic Party is with Bernie. And if anyone is so upset that they feel their party has been invaded by people who actually care about liberal values... I don't know what to tell them.

Parties shouldn't exist, period.

Because of a party system, we are NOT a UNITED States of a America. We are a DIVIDED States of America. Red states, blue states, etc...

It's so binary. Us vs them. It's bullshit and it's not unity. So again, if anyone is THIS upset about someone making use of the Democratic Party, because that's the only way you can possibly get any attention then don't get mad at Bernie, he's doing us no harm, he's bringing people into the party who've never considered it before. He's doing us a favor. And he's not charging us for it.

I registered as a Democrat because of Bernie. Obama didn't inspire me, Hillary didn't inspire me. It was Bernie. And if the party wants to spit in my face by telling me that Bernie AKA my belief system doesn't belong here then... I'll go wherever I can actually make a difference. If the Democratic Party isn't that place then... Tell me right now. I don't belong here.

Divided we fall. It's that simple.

[erlewyne]

15. The soul of the Democratic Party is with Bernie.

I am not a DNC supporter. I am a democrat and so is BERNIE!!!

[bjobotts]

60. Bernie is as much a dem as anyone.He campaigned with and for democrats but is a progressive...

He caucused with the dems, supported and campaigned for and with the dems but did not want to be governed by them as a candidate. He's as much a dem as any one is but was a progressive long before there was a progressive caucus in the Democratic party. Corporate dems are dems in name only and not part of the "People's Party". Bernie is a representative of the people, not the billionaires and as such represents the Democratic party as evidenced by his democratic following and our democratic ideals.. This is what the party is supposed to be. The party is not racist but it used to be. It's not corporatist but some are pushing for it to be the money party. It is the People's party and Bernie represents the people so he is a real dem and his democratic supporters know this. But Steve Benen and MSNBC keep posting anything they think will demean Bernie and it just makes them look bad. And yes DUDE I'm over 65

[erlewyne]

68. Thank you, Thank you very much! bjobotts

That was my Elvis impersonation.

I appreciate your reply my fellow democrat.

[Art_from_Ark]

101. Nice post!

[SusanaMontana41]

125. Bernie IS a democrat (small d).

He just isn't a member of the (D)emocratic Party of Debbie.

Like you, I couldn't care less what corporate media say. They've been in the tank for Clinton before she announced her candidacy.

[Fantastic Anarchist]

107. + billion

[Punkingal]

3. Spot on!

[bobthedrummer]

4. There it is. n/t

[HooptieWagon]

5. I guess it was today's Brock talking point.

Not sure what it hoped to accomplish, except for reminding people Hillary is a former Republican. Speaking of which, if she'd stayed true to her calling, she'd be leading the GOP nomination right now.

[Karma13612]

63. excellent point! eom

[SammyWinstonJack]

100. Too bad she didn't and isn't...

Speaking of which, if she'd stayed true to her calling, she'd be leading the GOP nomination right now.

Damn shame.

[rhett o rick]

6. They are grasping. Wanting to judge how good a Democrat Sanders is based solely on his

time with a (D) behind his name. They don't dare want a comparison as to which candidate has upheld Democratic Principles the best.

[nxylas]

44. Principles

For any Hillary supporters here, who may be unfamiliar with the word: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/principles at Dictionary.com

[krawhitham]

7. k&r

[H2O Man]

8. Recommended.

Thank you for this. I'm a little disappointed that some of my friends are attempting to use that weak shit to distract from the serious issues.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

9. preach it! nt

[Joe the Revelator]

10. The line of argument is really funny....because it would seem that it takes an outsider....

....to be a real progressive in this party.

[Else You Are Mad]

34. The DNC...

Has tried its hardest to silence the progressive arm of the Democratic party by making it seem like anyone that was left of moderate was not electable. It took Bernie to dispell the myth that has lasted for the last 25 years that only moderate democrats could defeat republicans and/or win.

[Nanjeanne]

11. Exactly!

[jalan48]

12. Absolutely! The Wall St. Democrats don't like their nakedness exposed.

[CentralMass]

13. Right on.

[ejbr]

14. And

those of us in closed primaries can now help more g progressive candidates down ticket

[farleftlib]

16. We don't care about a letter after someone's name

Bernie is a true progressive and he puts the 99% first, where they belong. The term 'Socialism' doesn't scare me, Hillary's secret transcripts do.

[Karma13612]

64. nice seque way to the transcripts. Oh by the way....no sight of them yet!!

agree with your comment 100%

[me b zola]

17. For about a week now they have been attacking with bottom of the barell crapola

Making issues where non exists. I like when they flail in desperation, more likely for Hillary to step in poo again.

[vintx]

18. A-fucking-men! nt

[AtomicKitten]

19. Truth.

[stillwaiting]

20. The New Democratic Party tastes bad. The Classic Democratic Party is what people used to like &

still prefer.

Ditch the NEW & stick with the CLASSIC.

[JDPriestly]

21. K&R.

[JoeyT]

22. That sounds like a losing strategy to me.

I think it's a much better idea to put up big "Independents Stay Out!" and "Independent Scum Unwelcome!" signs and roll out the industrial grade butthurt when they don't vote for our candidates, because we deserve their votes, even if they don't belong to the party. It's a surefire way to win the general.

Edit: We should do our level best to drive away anyone under the age of 40, too. We don't need them either.

[fleur-de-lisa]

23. K&R! Thank you!

Great post!

[FairWinds]

24. Nobody, but nobody, treats the Dem party . .

with as much contempt at the DLC, Third Way, Kock Bros.

All Bernie is doing is to try to un-hijack it.

[Ferd Berfel]

26. ...and what FairWInds said

[jwirr]

61. ^^^ THIS ^^^

[Ferd Berfel]

25. Thank You

We're just damn glad he did.

[fredamae]

27. It's Not The Label

It's All About His Votes...He has caucused With Democrats for 25 Years.
Labels are pretty and that's it.

[thereismore]

28. If for no other reason then to push Hillary to the left.

I am just joking!!!!! Bernie all the way!

[LiberalLovinLug]

45. That was the point of my sig graphic when I made it

That it could be taken either that way, or that its a tug o war with lil ole Bernie winning the tug.

But maybe I should be re-doing my sig now, as enough evidence is in that whatever knee jerk moves to the left Hillary is making to appease the Dem base that she was surprised to find out existed after years of abuse by her friend Debbie downer and the DNC...are all shadows and mirrors. Any thought that Hillary Clinton would actually STAY with these new found FDR Democratic positions seems obviously to have as much teeth as a paper donkey.

[Paper Roses]

29. Exactly! n/t

[MissDeeds]

30. Thank you, SheenaR

Well said!



K&R

[Uncle Joe]

31. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, SheenaR.

[questionseverything]

32. he ran as a democrat because we begged him to

duh

[azurnoir]

33. No we don't not one little bit

K&R

[humbled_opinion]

35. The New Democratic Party

A party for the people, not for the oligarchs, I love it.... That my friend is a real political revolution...

[Raster]

36. Preach On! Preach On! Preach On!

It. Is. Time. For. A. Change!

[Billsmile]

37. If Bernie Wasn't a Democrat then The Base Wouldn't be Supporting Him

“For my audience, the core of the Democratic Party, it’s Bernie Sanders. There’s no question. It is very consistent. It is unwavering for Bernie Sanders. It’s consistent responses no matter where the calls are coming from.”

-Mike Malloy

Of course the major party's point of view might be a little different. Isn't there is that supposed truism that "Republicans fear their base, Democrats hate their base." Maybe we're seeing some of that being played out in these primaries.

[PatrickforO]

39. So we are.

[PatrickforO]

38. Sanders is the new soul of the Democratic Party.

And I support him and the values he's espousing, NOT the Dem Party per se.

[Champion Jack]

40. I agree with this post!

[WillyT]

41. + 1,000,000,000 What You Said !!! - K & R !!!

[Fast Walker 52]

76. x10,000,000,000,000

[DeGreg]

42. Now that they're asking.,,

I'd say a better question is:
Why didn't Hillary run as a Republican?

[hopemountain]

93. i venture to guess she considered it...

since she was a republican to begin with...

[CanSocDem]

109. No 'coat tails' to grasp...??? (eom)

[roody]

43. He is running to win. That's why!

[BernieforPres2016]

46. So I take it this topic was today's Clinton campaign email to the troops to peddle?

Put them all on Ignore and let them talk to the hand.

[LovingA2andMI]

47. K/R!!!

[democrank]

48. Bernie is a Peoplecrat, the best kind of Democrat.

Peoplecrat....Corporatcrat....geez....which shall I choose?


GO BERNIE!

[passiveporcupine]

49. Nothing wrong with being a Democratic Socialist

“To run as an independent, you need — you could be a billionaire," he said. "If you're a billionaire, you can do that. I'm not a billionaire. So the structure of American politics today is such that I thought the right ethic was to run within the Democratic Party.”

POLITICO has previously reported that Sanders initially resisted running as a Democrat, but was convinced by his advisers that it was necessary.

http://www.politico.com/blogs/2016-dem-primary-live-updates-and-results/2016/03/bernie-sanders-independent-media-coverage-220747#ixzz42vJss3Cu

He ran as a dem because he had to. There was no way to get media attention to even grow the grass roots and get the money necessary to compete in a corrupt system of monied political campaigns. He wants to change that system, but had to join it (without corrupting himself by using superpacs) to have a chance to win.

So he's not a Dem, he's a Democratic Socialist? Well, so was FDR. FDR would not fit in the Democratic party today. Who wants to be a Dem any more anyway? It no longer represents the people.

[hopemountain]

94. i have always called myself

a democratic socialist. true democracy should include a good balance of social justice programs/ approaches.

[Bread and Circus]

50. ^ Word.

[pdsimdars]

51. Honestly, what's important is that a REAL Democrat is running instead of a closet Republican

[Shadowflash]

52. Yup.

[abelenkpe]

53. He's more a democrat than most who claim to be.

[Plucketeer]

89. Now THAT'S the truth!

And that's by OLD Democrat standards. The wusses with a (D) next their name today, make Bernie look like a saint!

[w0nderer]

54. seems to me (and i'll probably take a hide for this) hillarians...please rise above that

if a centrist that is to the point of a 1980's extreme wing republican....

can be a democrat..


then so can an independent!

[MerryBlooms]

55. Rec & Kick.

[SoapBox]

56. RIGHT ON!

You say it!

All the slime, all the lies, all the BOO! tactics...

They are a FAIL!

Go Bernie!

Go Berners!

[matt819]

57. Thank you! (Nt)

[Duval]

58. K&R.

Thank you, SheenaR. Bernie is for all of us and we need him. This is our chance, and no way are we Bernie people going to back down.

[SamKnause]

59. I agree 100%.

[Karma13612]

62. K&R [phone] eom

[Enthusiast]

65. Kicked and recommended!

[Jack Rabbit]

66. After thirty-six year of neoliberalism

. . . where both parties work in concert to widen the income, ship jobs overseas, deregulate industries that need regulation just to keep them reasonably honest, start endless wars, foreclose mortgages, bailout banks when we would at least arguably better off letting the go under, allow Wall Street and industrial criminals to walk free and shrug shoulders at global warming denial, impose austerity measure on the masses while cutting taxes on the rich, and voter suppression . . .
[center][fon color="5"]
Swedish-style socialism sounds pretty damn good!!
[/font][/center]

[suffragette]

67. K&R

[QC]

69. Rec #200.

[Arugula Latte]

70. Yep. Hillary calls herself a Democrat but acts mostly like a Republican.

Bernie calls himself a Democratic Socialist or a Democrat and acts more like a traditional FDR Democrat.

[felix_numinous]

71. HRC claims to be running as a Progressive

while her views and record clearly line up with conservative third way neo liberals, so is not respecting her constituency by expecting them to explain her positions for her. She has deceived them.

Bernie Sanders went to great lengths to explain what a Democratic Socialist is, and communicates clearly what his views are.

[Plucketeer]

90. Dame Hillary's gotta be spendin'

A LOT of time in a confessional!

[Iwillnevergiveup]

72. Ever since I "met" him

Bernie has always spoken for me, a lifelong Democrat. Thanks for the post, SheenaR.

K&R

[FiveGoodMen]

73. Amen to that!

[Marie Marie]

74. As a Democrat, Bernie is the Democratic candidate I have been waiting for.

[zentrum]

75. Well Done!

[Elmer S. E. Dump]

77. K&R +10000 n/t

[grntuscarora]

78. Huge K &R.

[bigwillq]

79. I don't care.

I'm glad Bernie is running. If it's as a DEM, even better.

[RayOfHope]

80. Word. n/t

[AuntPatsy]

82. So true

[Stryder]

83. Could have ran Indie...

and split the vote from the Left in the GE? (Even worse than now.)
He made what I consider to be the best move.
For us. My first vote was for Jimmy Carter.
And between 1980 and 2 hours ago I didn't cast a vote that
I was happy to cast. There was always... something.
But this man I trust to try. Har, I've found myself trusting a politician.
Strange days indeed.

SheenaR "We don't care if he ran as a Democrat in this Primary because he lost a bet. "
Nice. And just happens to be Eleven Eleven on your post count. Also nice

[rpannier]

84. Definitely

Hoping he'll taking Illinois, Ohio and Missouri

[Chicago1980]

85. I voted toady in the Illinois primary.

I'll be honest and say that I voted for Clinton.

I'll also agree with you 100% that I'm glad Senator Sanders entered the race and I hope that he continues on.

[asuhornets]

86. Apparently alot of people care because he's losing..

that's what you don't get

[SheenaR]

105. Yeah...

that's why he lost. The outrage over his party dedication.

[asuhornets]

106. of course

Democrats vote for Democrats..

[dchill]

87. K&R!

[Hiraeth]

88. will.not.quit.

[BeanMusical]

92. Kick and R

[Wibly]

95. Sanders needs to spend more time with Elizabeth Warren

I think Sanders should start hanging out in public with Warren, and make mention an independent run here and there.
Maybe that would wake the DNC up!

[Betty Karlson]

96. Completely true.

But those who need to hear it, still have their fingers firmly stuck in their ears and are going for the 156th verse of their favorite hymn "la la la I can't hear you".

[jtuck004]

99. Pardon. "We are just GLAD he _is_". There. Fixed. n/t

[johnlucas]

102. We're taking over this joint! Ain't nothin' they can DO about it!!

The Democratic Party will change in 2016 whether they like it or not.
THANK GOD for Bernie Sanders!
He'll create a REAL Democratic Party worth voting for!

John Lucas

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

111. It won't change a bit.

Once Hillary is confirmed as nominee, any pull from the left can be safely ignored.

Once she's elected president, she can renew her support for TPP.

She's unstoppable, inevitable.

[Art_from_Ark]

103. Hear hear!

[Major Hogwash]

104. It's sad, too, because every time Democrats talk about having a big tent . . .

. . . as soon as someone with the stature of Bernie Sanders enters it, they want to stab him in the back.

[randome]

108. Running as a Democrat was not the problem, I think.

But trashing the very party he was using made things a bit awkward. I imagine it was hard for members of the DNC to get the message that they were simply doing it all wrong.

Maybe they were and are doing it wrong but there are better ways of getting them to understand it.

You don't convince someone they're stupid by telling them "You're stupid."
[hr][font color="blue"][center]Don't ever underestimate the long-term effects of a good night's sleep.[/center][/font][hr]

[SheenaR]

112. Let's chat

How could he have gotten a message across to the Establishment, the DNC and DWS in a better fashion. Because they threw up every roadblock possible for him. And he still stayed pretty civil.

I think you make a valid point btw

[randome]

115. He was extremely civil, I agree.

And I don't buy into the notion that he was just thinking of his own ambition when he decided to run. Neither do I agree with the opposing view that Clinton is some conniving harridan who wants to suck the life energy out of our still beating hearts.

Both candidates got a little heated at times but too much was made of that here. After all, they were vying for the same job.

Maybe Sanders could have spoken more about the Democratic Party, shore up its strong points while listing its weaknesses. Hell, on DU we talked all the time about how the Party had moved too far to the right and why, maybe Sanders should have mentioned that more often himself.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]Don't ever underestimate the long-term effects of a good night's sleep.[/center][/font][hr]

[Bad Dog]

110. If anyone needs to be asked not to vote for Trump,

they weren't interested in progressive politics in the first place. If Sanders loses I can't see him throwing his rattle out of the pram and telling people to vote Trump. He's a decent man, if only the same could be said of some of his "supporters."

[bobbobbins01]

114. No one here is going to vote for Trump.

But that doesn't mean they have to vote for Hillary either.

[Bad Dog]

117. It doesn't, but have you really considered the alternative?

She won't be standing against a Mitt Romney or a John McCain, but Donald Trump a neofascist whose supporters are unabashed racists. He's already talked about threatening Mexico with war. The alternative to a Democrat victory is too frightening for words.

[Renew Deal]

116. I'm glad he did. His run is very helpful to Hillary.

[Billsmile]

118. Bernie & the MSM

When Sanders was considering running for president he indicated that he would do so to promote conversation on a variety of important issues that weren't being covered by the MSM. I know this is true because he said so on the Thom Hartmann radio program last year.

As a presidential candidate Bernie has talked about issues on national TV that no other candidate would dare bring to light (TPP & trade, climate change, wealth inequality, Citizens United, Wall St. regulating Congress, etc).

Part of his "more debates" strategy was to increase the media megaphone for these issues. And this is partly why Bernie ran as a Democrat. He knew that if he ran as an Independent there would be absolutely no media coverage on these important issues affecting the American people.

[mulsh]

119. I agree and I'm a Hillary supporter. Bernie changes the issues and that's a very

positive thing. He's getting his positions what ever national exposure they're getting, & shame on the MSM for ignoring him. He's making his opponent address them, who knows it may even change her position on a few things.

I refuse to bad mouth Bernie Sander or his choice to run as a democrat. I try to avoid hit pieces on both candidates, they don't reflect well on the posters.

If Bernie is nominated I will have no problem enthusiastically supporting him.

[Phlem]

120. Especially Today!

The actual liberal Democrats are fired up fierce. Bernie is the beginning we are looking for others like him to support. I could give a shit if Hillary gets the nod because I have just become an Independent.

The 2 party system is corrupt, bought and paid for by the powerful. Nothing will change in the 2 party system until the nation feels the fucking pain it deserves.

Maybe then the clueless masses might wake up.

We need pain and I hope Hillary brings it like I'm sure she will. Of course none of it will be specifically tied to her, some but not all. The end result will still be the same.

The Thirdway = Bill, Obama, and now we have Hillary.

We are ruled by the ignorant masses, that vote for these corporate/1% friendly politicians. I've been in corporate and left because I couldn't stand how they treated people. Now they will rule the nation.

Fuck Fuck Fuck etc................................

[Bad Dog]

121. How do you think the French Socialists felt?

In the presidential run off when the choice was Chirac or Le Pen? Let's not forget, Le Pen was the 3rd party candidate.

[SMC22307]

123. Kick before bed...

missed this the first go-round!

[ebayfool]

126. Why, thanky! It is a good one! n/t

[Kalidurga]

127. They will keep pushing that argument

and a whole lot of other equally stupid arguments. And they will offer nothing on why Hillary is better than Bernie. Because they have nothing.

I don't care if Bernie did this as a joke. Someone says hey Bernie you should run for president. "That would be hilarious you don't have the GQ look, the money, you are grumpy, and oh boy are they going to talk about you being a socialist." And Bernie says "yeah that would be funny, I'll get like 500 people in Vermont to vote for me." Then he announces. And then he comes to Minneapolis. And it looks like he will get a lot more than 500 votes.

So, now we know what we are dealing with as far as the DNC goes. They have shown they are just another tool for corporate America.

[Peace Patriot]

128. $15/hr minimum wage--a living wage, and...

...expanding Social Security so that benefits cover the cost of living for the elderly, and...

...Medicare for all, and...

...free public college tuition (as we once had in this country), and...

...paying for it with a tax on Wall Street speculation, and...

...breaking up "too big to fail" banks, and...

...equal pay for women, and...

...no hedging on a woman's right to control her own body, and...

...strong, early supporter of gay rights, and...

...against wrongful, destabilizing wars and U.S. interventionism (as in Honduras, Libya & Syria), and...

...million jobs infrastructure project, and...

...against private prisons and mass incarceration, and...

...against "free trade" agreements that destroy U.S. jobs and our sovereignty, and...

...calls addressing climate change a "MORAL" issue, and...

...very early civil rights activist and leader, and...

...supports organic farming, opposes Monsanto, and...

I could go on and on. THESE ARE THE POSITIONS AND ACTIONS OF A REAL DEMOCRAT, not the fake kind that have been shoved at us as our only $$choices$$ since the Reagan junta.

VOTE BERNIE SANDERS: HE IS NOT A REPUBLICAN!

[Jitter65]

131. And, no matter how many times you post this response we will keep saying that we want a real

Democrat with proven Dem chops who continues to help other Dems win their elections across the ticket. One who has "weathered the slings and arrows of outrageous scorn" taken more bullcrap and withstood more unsubstantiated allegations than anyone else running. On who has actually had to make hard, tough decisions and been held accountable for past mistakes but has learned the lessons that will make an outstanding President.

[SheenaR]

134. 373 people in this thread plus me disagree

Your list of "qualifications" is a joke. And your candidate does not meet your own requirements, especially holding herself accountable for past mistakes. And proven? Proven what. Proven awful SOS. Proven flip-flopper from her Senate days to her candidate days.

Thanks for stopping by though

[phleshdef]

136. That doesn't describe anyone running

[Kittycat]

135. He was good enough to caucus with Dems, even when Some of our Dems

Took money from special interests and caucuses with republicants. Bernie's always been true.

Even our own DNC chair is a red coat. So, I am glad Bernie is with us. He's doing a great job of giving voice to the critical issues impacting many of us in America, highlighting what is wrong with Politics (which is the same message Obama shared shared), and proposing a number of initiatives I support to take us to the next level.